Installation FAQ
Installing the T.O.V.A. 9 on a new computer?
Here are answers to the most common questions.
If you’re installing the T.O.V.A. on a new desktop, laptop, or All-in-One computer, first check out our System Requirements as well as our PTE Compatibility page.
First check the System Requirements and PTE Compatibility page pages above. You can also just download and install the software to try it out.
ALWAYS back up your system and any critical files before installing new software.
Contact Technical Support, and we’ll answer your questions as best we can.
You may install the T.O.V.A. on a networked computer system (almost every computer is on some kind of a network). However, your database must be stored locally on that system’s hard drive. Moving your database to a network shared drive or sharing a database between systems is NOT supported and will probably cause data loss.
The T.O.V.A. needs to be installed by a user with administrator access to the local system, but afterward it can be run and even updated by any user on the system. Please note that modifying some T.O.V.A. settings will require an administrator.
Yes, the latest T.O.V.A. software (including the Precision Test Environment) works with Windows 8, 10, and 11. However, the T.O.V.A. Precision Test Environment (PTE) may not be compatible with your computer.
Please review our System Requirements, see Compatibility for information on specific PC makes and models, and make sure to install the latest version here.
The new T.O.V.A. does not require a parallel port, only a USB port.
Some of the newest computers don’t have a USB-A port. Instead, they usually have a USB-C port. A USB C-to-A adapter (sold separately) should work fine for these systems.
The T.O.V.A. USB device must be plugged directly into your desktop or laptop’s built-in USB ports. USB hubs cause communication with the device to be unreliable, and they should not be used, even if they work some of the time.
No, your T.O.V.A. data is stored on your computer, not on the T.O.V.A. device.
When you finish the T.O.V.A. test, the test results are stored temporarily on the T.O.V.A. USB device (the black box). Then, when you spend a credit to save your test results, that session data is transferred to the T.O.V.A. database on the computer’s local hard drive (by default, C:\ProgramData\TOVA\data). The test results are then removed from the device to make room for the next test session.
It’s important to back up your T.O.V.A. data, and you have a number of options. See the T.O.V.A. User’s manual for details.
All your T.O.V.A. subject and session information is now stored in a database, which makes it easier to search and sort for the information you seek. See “Moving a T.O.V.A. Database” in the User’s manual for details.
Yes. You can install T.O.V.A. on as many computers as you need, but you can only administer tests when the T.O.V.A. hardware is attached. It is the T.O.V.A. hardware that keeps you within the software licensing agreement.
No, the T.O.V.A. does not require that your computer be connected to the internet for testing or anything else, but it makes many operations quicker and easier.
How can we help you today?
Our team of experts are available to answer any of your T.O.V.A. questions.
